Chapter 294: It’s Always Her
Sheriff Nate led the way back to the site of the battle, and sure enough, the others were already on their way. Not far, Dominic could still hear them in the distance. But he couldn’t see them through the trees.
The scene had been cleaned, with only a few signs of blood left, and the remains of the campfire.
Dominic kicked at the ashes, making sure that nobody had dumped incriminating evidence in the fire, but it came up clean. No sign that someone had tried to melt down or hide a metal emblem or token.
There was a reason that most organizations made their emblems of metal or stone, and it wasn’t just for durability. They were hard to dispose of, so traitors couldn’t get away easily.
"No sign of freshly dug holes. No unaccounted for trails leaving the area. Only two coming in and one going out." Sheriff Nate noted.
"Well, that’s all we needed to know. Let’s return to the others, and call the day a success." Dominic agreed.
"A success?" Baron William asked.
"We were out hunting monsters. What were you two out for?" Dominic asked.
"Not monsters. But I suppose that’s as good as anything." The Baron replied with a shrug.
Only a few minutes through the woods, Dominic caught sight of the back of the procession, which was being guarded by Colonel Wilkes and one other guard.
He whistled softly so that they knew he was coming, but stayed back of the group so that he didn’t scare the new arrivals any more than necessary. They had already been traumatized enough, and if they were going to stick around Wistover, it was better that they got a chance to relax a little before they first entered the town, so they didn’t make a rough first impression.
Alexis led the group to town first, in hopes of finding them something to wear.
There wasn’t much at the Manor, they weren’t stocked to be taking in people with nothing. But the tailors had some items, and the residents were happy to help with some of their old clothes.
That was all that it took for the rescued group to start feeling human again.
Well, that and a hot shower.
While they got clean, the maids returned to the Manor, and began cleaning the old barracks so that it could be used as temporary shelter for larger groups.
The old military net hammocks were still hung from eyelets in rows three high, suitable for sleeping a hundred soldiers in a single stone building.
The roof leaked, and the interior was a mess, as animals had gotten into it, and there were owls living in the rafters.
But that was nothing that a dedicated team of mages on a cleaning frenzy couldn’t deal with, and they even had spells to mend the old fishing net hammocks, so they could be used again.
After inspection, they even found blankets, sealed away in an airtight cabinet.
They were musty, but not mouldy. So, the ladies gave them a quick wash and hung them to dry.
Now that they had somewhere for the new arrivals to sleep, and any other guests that needed housing, the veiled maids were in a much better mood. Cleaning up in the barracks was much easier than polishing and cleaning a guest room in the manor after every visitor.
"Do you think that we should ask Beth to get us ingredients for soup? There is a magitech fireplace here, and the soup pot is now clean." One of the mages asked.
The others shrugged. They didn’t know what Alexis was going to do with them. So, they just returned to the manor and started to catch up on their other work.
Dominic returned to the Manor while the others were still in town, and went to find Beth.
"Guess what we found?" He began.
"A group of oppressed refugees being conveniently chased by the monsters that you wanted to hunt, that I now need to feed?" She asked.
"Oh, you’re getting good at this. I can’t guarantee that you’ll have to feed them, but I wouldn’t bet against it." Dominic agreed.
"I’ve already started on it. I was in the garden with Millie and Tena when they came by. Speaking of which, can you go check on Jasmine? I don’t hear the tractor baling hay anymore, but she isn’t back.
She might be trapped in the barn by the goats again." The cook requested with a motherly smirk.
"Got it. I’ll go find the farrier, and play with the goats so they don’t get bored."
Dominic waved to the Blink Cat as he approached the barn, and the cat grinned at him, then leapt down to accompany him into the barn, where an annoyed female voice was arguing with the goats.
"I swear to the gods, I’m not trying to steal your baby. Why must you attack me every time I come in here to do repairs?" Jasmine demanded.
Dominic clapped his hands, and the goats turned to charge at him, led by a wobbly and happy newborn.
"Oh, you are precious." Dominic greeted the little one, who headbutted his legs.
He patted it on the side, then caught the mother who had reared up to headbutt him, in the traditional greeting of goats everywhere.
"Good work mama. Your little one is adorable." He added.
The ewe accepted a pat on the head, then stepped back to let Dominic inspect the newborn.
"How do you do it? I tried the same thing that you do, but they just gang up on me." Jasmine complained.
She was coming to the door of the barn with a damaged feed dispenser bar in her hands, and bruises on her arms from the local horned menace.
"I have no idea why they pick on you. It’s just you, by the way. They don’t do it to Tena or Millie." Dominic replied.
The farrier sighed. "This is the only damaged one, and the machine will work without it for now. I’m just going to take it to Pops’ place to fix it. He will have the tools to sort it out. I’ve got the farrier’s forge in the horse stables fixed up, but the room is too small for this, it’s just meant for heating horseshoes."
"Alright, you make your escape, I will keep the goats from chasing you."